Mother My Ass
by BVR
Summary: Set after Exalted Reason Resplendant Daughter. The Andromeda decide to got to Odekyrke (or whatever it is called) to Confront Beka's 'Mother'. Beka is angry. Talia is calm, making Beka angry
1. Bitch Mommy

A/N ok I know I said that there would be a sequel to Jealousy but I decided to do this first. It will be short I promise!!! Takes place in the middle of season four. Lets say right after Exalted Reason, Resplendent Daughter (Which I didn't get to see! Poo.) So if I make major mistakes, pretend they aren't there and just go with it.

Chapter 1

Beka paced the Maru. What gave her the right? My 'dear mother'. What gives her the right to barge into my life like that!

Rhade walked into the Maru and saw Beka pacing a hole in the deck.

"Beka?" He asked. Beka jumped. (A/N I dunno if Beka knows Rhade knows about her Mom so I am going to assume she doesn't. and if she does...then...figure it out!!)

"Yeah?"

"Are you alright?"

"Yah, yeah I am fine. Why wouldn't I be fine?" She asked.

"Well, ever since we returned, you seem a little...jittery. And angry." He didn't mention what he had learned on the planet.

"Well im not. I'm just...stressed." It wasn't that she didn't like Rhade, it was that she didn't know much about him and...god she was attracted to him. And that bugged her. _Nietzschean. Great. Oh well I am a kludge, doesn't matter either way._

"Ah. I see." He had actually come to talk to her. Tell her what he knew. But she distractd him. Her lips, her face...eyes. He snapped out of his trance. Something was bothering her. He knew what it was.

"Well?" Beka asked.

"Well what?" Rhade asked. He hadn't been listening. He mentally kicked himself in the ass.

"I asked if there was a reason you came here?" Beka said again.

"Yes, there was."

"And?"

"Beka, I need to tell me something." _Please don't let it be that he is going to kill me._

"When we were on the planet..." _Oh great, not this._

"We encountered Aleiss..." _Bitch._

"And she told me something..." _Shit._

"I know about your mother what she did. It was wrong." He finished.

Beka looked down, in shock. _Great, just great. Just when I thought I had gotten rid of her shadow! She comes back to haunt me!_

"Beka?"

"HwMchDiYoKnw?" Beka mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Rhade asked.

"How much do you know?" She asked.

She just sat there while Rhade retold exactly what Aleiss had said.

Beka closed her eyes.

"Ok. My mother was a bitch." Her eyes flew open. "And now it is time to put that bitch in her place."

A/N not the best I know. I might make this a bit longer then planned. Will be a Rhade Beka story monotonous me. I like Beka and Rhade. CLICK THE FIRST SEASON TRANCE COLOURED BUTTON AND GIVE ME SOMETHING TO READ ABOUT!


	2. Silence pisses Rhade off

A/N Ok I have been told I made a big mistake. Rhade DOES know...ok we are going to pretend he doesn't. I guess I am kinda re-writing the episode a bit but hey, my fic my way! Also, are going to pretend that the Commonwealth is not after Dylan kk?

Chapter 2

"Excuse me? 'Put her in her place?" Rhade asked.

Beka looked up at him. "Yes. You, you will help me right?"

Rhade looked down, thinking. "I don't see how it would work..."

"What do mean?"

"Dylan. He would be curious as to where two if his senior officers went."

"That, is easy." Beka replied. She turned grimly to the screen she had been staring at and sending bad thoughts to when Rhade walked in. "Dylan sent me a copy of this." She pressed the play button.

An elegant woman popped up. "Captain Hunt, I am the senator of Odekyrke (A/N I will spell it this way...if u know how to really spell it...tell me!). My name is Talia Casele (A/N don't know her last name!). A threat has been mad to my life. At the moment I am safe on Odekyrke. The Triumvirs have decided it is your duty to escort me to Tarazed to meet with them then back to Odekyrke. Enclosed is the Triumvir's code for your purposes. I expect you to come to Odekyrke within 6 days. That will give you plenty of time." With that, the transmission ended.

"So, we are going to Odekyrke." Rhade stated.

"Yep."

On Command, Dylan had just given the order to start to Odekyrke. Beka was piloting and seemed oddly tense. Dylan knew she didn't like formal occasions but with the senator it wouldn't be that way all the time. He wondered what was really going on in her mind.

"Prepare to enter slipstream."

After 4 hours of straight piloting, Beka was exhausted. And it was sill 3 days until they got to Odekyrke.

"Beka, go to sleep." Dylan said.

"Yes Sir, Dylan sir." Beka mumbled and walked out the door.

"The same for the rest of you. Same time tomorrow morning. Dismissed."

Rhade walked to the Maru, where he knew Beka would be. He open the hatch and walked in.

"Beka?"

Silence.

"Beka?"

More silence.

"BEKA!"

The silence is pissing him off now.

Rhade walks down the corridor to Beka's room and knocks softly.

"Beka?" He asks again.

The door slides open. There is standing Beka, eyes red hair disheveled and face wet.

"Beka..." Rhade said, "I'm sorry."

Tears started sliding down Beka's face again. Rhade pulled her into a hug and was surprised when she didn't pull away.


	3. Nightmare, WAKE HIM UP!

A/N Hey its your favorite crazy person here and watsup? You know what I REALLLLY love? REVIEWS! Thank you all of u who did review!

Chapter 3

Beka hugged him back. No, scratch that, she clung to him for dear life. Had he been a normal human, his ribs probably would have broken. But as he was Nietzschean, he hardly felt it.

Tears were sliding down her face.

"Why? Why cant the bitch just let me be?"

"Maybe she wants to...reconnect with you. Maybe she feels sorrowful." Rhade suggested.

"Yeah, and maybe Rommie will sprout wings and fly to Tarn Vedra." Beka muttered.

"We could ask Harper..." Rhade started.

"I was kidding."

"I know." Rhade held her closer. "I am sorry she came back."

"yeah," Beka said, pulling away and sitting on the bed. Rhade followed and sat next to her. "Me too."

Rhade looked at her. "Are you...afraid of her?" He asked slowly.

"Ptsh!" Beka laughed. "No, I just don't want to see her because she is evil."

"Ah." Rhade put his arm on Beka's shoulder. "Now that we got that out of the way, would you care to join me in the mess hall?"

Beka bit her lip for a moment, hesitant. _What the hell. Risk all point right?_

"Yeah, let's go."

Rhade smiled as they walked out of the Maru.

The next morning, Beka woke up pleasantly comfortable. She also had the feeling of a warm body next to her. She turned and saw Rhade's face. It all came back to her in a rush. The dinner, conversation, and her inviting him back to the Maru. She smiled to herself, remembering an old quote she found in a bathroom stall at some bar.

'Life is short, so screw as many Nietzscheans as you can.'

Beka laughed and thought of how it applied to her. Rhade stirred, the arm around her waist shifting.

"Good morning." He mumbled.

"Good morning to you." Beka replied.

Rhade sat up and kissed Beka. Just then, a transmission came through to the Andromeda and Maru.

"Beka, Rhade, Harper and Trance to command!" Dylan's voice called.

As soon as they got there they saw Dylan standing there in his spot looking at the screen.

"There are 4 unidentified ships heading for Odekyrke." Andromeda reported.

"Well, identify them." Beka said.

"It isn't that easy, their hull is somehow deflecting my scans." Andromeda said, sounding offended.

"It isn't your fault Andromeda." Dylan said.

"They might be there to try and assassinate Talia."

"Good-bye and good riddance." Beka muttered.

"What was that?" Dylan asked.

Beka looked up and smiled sarcastically," Nothing."

"It appears they have spotted us, they are veering off this way." Rommie said.

"They are hailing us." Andromeda said.

"Put it up." Dylan replied.

A masked man that looked suspiciously like a Genite was sitting there.

"What business do you have here?" Dylan was asked by the man.

Dylan raised his eyebrows. "I am Captain Dylan Hunt of the Andromeda Ascendant and we are in commonwealth space and we have the right and duty to patrol it. You are not Odekyrk..." Dylan trailed off. "Okekyrk-ian" He finished. Beka and Harper looked at each other trying not to laugh.

"No, I am not but I have as much of a right to be here as you do." The man stated.

"Ok, why don't you just tell me your name?"

"Your worst nightmare." He said as the com channel died.

Harper snorted. "Famous last words. He might be a nightmare but it is time to wake him up."

Beka and Rhade looked over at Harper as he said his cheesy joke.

"What?" He asked. Beka snorted and looked away. Rhade smirked and went back to his console.

"Well, either way, they are firing." Rommie said.

"Dammit! Battle Stations!" Dylan said. (A/N Didn't you just love it in the fourth or 5th episode of season 5 when Beka was towing them and they were hit and Dylan said 'battle stations' and Rhade looks at him and says 'we are being towed!' and Dylan says 'sorry old habits' I LOVE THAT!!! Ok sorry.)

"Return Fire!" Dylan shouted.

"Dylan..." Beka said.

"What?"

"We hardly dented them. And they aren't running out of ammo."


	4. JESUS! 'WHERE!

A/N OMG I actually have nothing to say!!!!!

Chapter 4

"What?" Dylan asked incredulously.

"Incoming!" Harper yelled.

"Beka, get us out of here!" Dylan shouted.

"But Dylan, the Senator..." Andromeda started.

"No! Send a message to the Commonwealth. Tell them we need help. Send them all we know about the ships that attacked us." Dylan said.

"Aye." Was the response.

"Brace yourselves." Beka said as they entered slipstream.

"Beka where are you taking us?" Dylan asked.

"It's a small system nearby. They'll never think of going there." Beka said, not looking away.

"How do you know that?" Dylan asked.

"I just do." Beka mumbled.

"ok. Harper..."

"I know I know, get on the repairs." Harper said bounding out of command.

"Rhade, take over piloting. Beka come with me. I need to talk with you." Dylan finished.

Beka and Rhade glanced at each other as they made the said adjustments.

"Beka," Dylan said as soon as they were in his office. "I need to know what's going on."

"What?" Beka asked. _Did he find out about me and Rhade? Did we forget privacy mode? No, no it wasn't Andromeda..._

"Why are you so off task? And why did you suggest we let the Genite-wannabes kill the senator.

"Let's just say I know a bit about the Senator and that makes me not think she is worthy of living." Beka said.

"Such as?" Dylan asked.

"Oh nothing that will be a danger to you or Andromeda." Beka said. "Just something she did to be senator."

"Fell like sharing that?"

"No."

"Fine. Beka if you ever need to...talk, get stress out. I am always here to be your human punching bag."

Beka grinned. "I'll remember that."

"Dylan, the Commonwealth has sent a message for you. They say that they have two more ships coming this way. They will 'guard us' and make sure that the senator is alright." Andromeda said somewhat disdainfully.

"Andromeda? Is that a problem?" Dylan asked.

"No." Andromeda said.

"Andromeda?"

"Yes Dylan?"

"Did you notice Beka go out?" He asked noting her empty chair.

"Yes."

"And you didn't tell me because?"

"We were talking." She said frowning and disappeared.

A few hours later, the two ships the Commonwealth had ordered to assist them arrived.

Dylan and the two Captains discussed for awhile then decided Andromeda would go in followed by the two ships and when Andromeda cut around to Odekyrke, the other two ships would attack.

"Why do they get to attack?" Harper said, walking to command with Beka.

"Because since they are newer they apparently have better weapons." Andromeda said scoffing.

Beka and Harper glanced at each other, grinning. Harper took a swig of his sparky cola. Beka and Harper continued to walk in silence when suddenly Harper turned to her.

"Beka," he started. But he couldn't finish, he turned so fast that he bump into her, spilling Sparky Cola all over her.

"Harper! Jesus!" Beka exclaimed.

"Where??!!" Harper said looking around sarcastically. (a/n this happened to me. I was talking to Karen and she said something stupid and I said "Jesus Karen!" And she said "WHERE?!?!?" And looked around. It was funny)

"Harper." Beka said dangerously.

"I uh better go to command." Harper said running away.

"Dammit Harper."

A/N Thios chapter was really stupid. It is juts a filling until I get to the good stuff.


	5. Got to hell bitch

A/N Review pleas-ums

Chapter 5

As Beka came back to command, she saw Rhade in her usual spot.

"Brace for slipstream." came Rhade's voice.

"Exiting slipstream." He said again after a few minutes.

Te imposter Genites were nowhere to be found.

"That's…odd. A little too convenient." Dylan said.

"Ya think?" Harper said.

Dylan just shot him a look.

"Captain, we are getting a message from The Brilliance of Truth and The Dances of the Sun." Rommie said. He could have sworn he heard her mutter 'stupid flashy names'.

"Put it through."

"Captain, I thought we were going to actually fight someone." Captain Maria Santaun of the Sun asked.

"Yes captain, where are the ships?" Captain James Keog asked.

"They are…" right as Dylan was about to answer, they were fired upon.

"Happy?! You got your ships!" Beka yelled.

"Evasive maneuvers." Dylan ordered.

The Sun and Truth engaged the enemy ships as Andromeda made her way to Odekyrke.

"Captain, a message is coming in from the senator."

The image of Talia popped up. She was an elderly gray haired woman.

"Hello Captain. I am in a shuttle currently on course to you position. As soon as we dock, go to Slipstream. We do not want the Marheagans to get in our way."

Beka, Rhade noted, had gone rigid at the sight of her mother. Now, she looked angry.

"Beka?" Rhade asked. She snapped her head around to look at him.He gave her a meaningful look and she physically relaxed a bit.

"Senator's shuttle will be here in 28 seconds."

"Prepare to take them In"

Talia walked into the Andromeda and surveyed the interior.

"You can go." She told the ship's pilot and walked to Command, meeting Dylan halfway.

"Sorry, it takes awhile to get down there." Dylan apologized. Talial's piercing eyes never changed as she said.

"It is alright. Now take me to Command."

Dylan raised his eyebrows but said "Folow me."

As the reached Command, the doors slid silently open.

Rhade Beka and Harper turned around.

"Hello Beka." Talia said calmly.

Beka looked like she was ready to kill which, Rhade reminded himself, she probably was.

"Beka." Rhade said warningly.

"Beka answer me child." Talia sadi coldly.

"Go to hell bitch." Beka said as she walked past her and out of the room.


	6. Calm Old Lady

A/n ok I admit it I forgot about this one. I also say I think I am going to discontinue my X-Men one and stay to my area of expertise ;)

Disclaimer: Yes, they belong to me. I have 100,000,000$ and I bought the TV show. Andromeda is mine. In case you were wondering, that was sarcasm.

Chapter6

"Beka! Hey Beka!" Dylan said chasing after her. "What the hell?"

He finally caught up with her a deck away from command.

"Beka!"

"What Dylan?!"

Dylan stared at her. "What the hell was that all about."

Beka leaned against a bulkhead. "Dylan…" She closed her eyes before reopening them and trying again. "Dylan, the senator…"

"How did she know your name?"

"Let me finish!"

"Sorry."

"The senator…she…she had a husband, a son and a daughter. And the best damn ship in the world all at her fingertips. She didn't love them very much though. She never really cared. The most she ever did was tuck the little girl into bed one night when she was sick. One single time when they couldn't find the nanos."

"Beka…"

"And then, she got tired of it. Tired of having the best goddamn life I could think of! So, she left her family. She earned the Odekyrke People's trust. And now she is a bigshot politician, with now life. But to ruin her daughter's."

"Beka, im sorry." Dylan said softly, his eyes wide.

"Yeah, well tell that to her. I don't need her. And I don't need her attitude. So, please let me duke it out with her. I have been waiting to for a very long time."

Dylan smiled "That sounds like the Beka I know. Want to come back to command and…"

"Have some fun?"

Dylan smiled "I never said that." He said slyly.

On Command, Talia was smirking.

"I apologize for Captain Valentine's behavior." Andromeda said.

Talia smiled smugly. "Rebecca has always had a fiery tongue."

"I beg you pardon?" Andromeda asked.

"I am Rebecca's Mo…"

"That is enough." Rhade said suddenly. Talia looked at him coldly. Rommie, Trance and Harper looked at him.

"Excuse me?" Talia said dangerously.

"I said that is enough."

"May I show you to your quarters senator?" Rommie asked suddenly.

Talia eyed Telemachus's boneblades which were flexing and said "Yes, yes you may."

As they walked out, Beka and Dylan walked back in.

"Beka, I expect you to respect me."

"Yeah, well I expected you to die a long time ago, in fact I hoped you would but hey things don't always go as planned."

"Beka, you are my daughter and I wont have any of your attitude."

Harper fell sideways off the console he was leaning on. And Trance stood there biting her lip. Andromeda looked between the two.

Beka walked slowly forward and slapped Talia across the face.

"Now, I would advise you to think before you go and try to humiliate me because I assure you, you will come out worse for the wear!" Beka yelled.

Talia smirked and rubbed her cheek. "Inherited your father's art of diplomacy I see. And, if I hear right, his substance abuse."

"Bitch!" Beka said drawing her gun. Rhade was there in a heart beat.

"Beka! Beka no. no."

"Why! Give me a reason to!" Beka shouted as Rhade pulled her to the other side of Command.

"Maybe this would be a good time for me to see my quarters." Talia said sweetly, motioning for Rommie to follow her. "Come, come."

Rommie clenched her jaw but followed.

"Beka?"

"She's asking for it."

"I know, she wants you to get mad."

"It is working, can I shoot her now!"

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"I'll let you help."

"NO!"

"Come on, you know you want to…"

"Beka!"


	7. Plans

Disclaimer: Yes I own Rhade, he is my personal slave ;)

Chapter 7

Rhade was walking with Beka back to her quarters (A/N stop thinking nasty he was just walking her back).

"You know it still isn't too late to get in on the deal."

"What deal?" Rhade asked.

"Oh, Harper and I have it all figured out. First, Harper totally cuts off Talia's connection to anyone outside her room. Overrides the systems so doors won't open, comms won't work the whole shebang."

"Beka…"

"Then, we leave her there for a few hours. And conveniently mess with her environmental systems. Hey, she has blankets she won't be too cold."

"Beka…"

"And when she takes a shower, Harper will have totally upped the cold water and taken away all the hot and…."

"Beka! I have told you three times, I will not help you sabotage Talia."

"C'mon, why?"

"I told you! As much as I may hate her, she is a ranking member of the commonwealth senate and she, unbelievably, would be missed."

"We could say Andromeda had a malfunction…"

"You will not." Holo-Andromeda popped up. "I have not ever had a fatal malfunction. The worst was when I gave private O-Harra a 2nd degree burn for trying to peek into a room while privacy mode was engaged and two officers were…engaged in an activity. But that wasn't a malfunction, I burnt him on purpose."

Beka and Rhade just looked at her. "Are you always listening?" Beka asked.

"Yes."

"Ah, so that is why Dylan seems to know everything bad I say about him."

"I would never tell anything if someone asked me specifically not to tell land it doesn't involve putting my crew or that person in danger."

"Noted." Rhade said thoughtfully.

"I am assuming you would never really do this to the senator?" Andromeda asked a gleam in her eye.

"Nah, I need to be sneakier. You'd catch me." Beka said winking.

"well, we were recently in a battle. Maybe my shower systems in the guest quarters aren't fully operational yet."

Beka grinned "Andromeda, have I ever told you how beautiful you look."

"No you haven't Beka but thank you." Andromeda said and faded.

Beka turned to see Rhade looking at her with his eyebrow raised.

"So you enlisted the help of Andromeda already."

"Yeah, I wonder what she did to piss Andromeda off already."

Rommie then walked around the corner.

"That would be partially what she did to me. As soon as she saw me, she said "You, android, get down to the cargo bay and pick up my bags like you are supposed to.'"

"How did she know you were an android?" Rhade asked.

"Beka, I look like the main AI." Rommie said, somewhat annoyed.

"Them, when I offered to take her to her room again, she turned to Dylan and said "Oh My, Captain. It talks!""

Beka tried not to laugh.

"She also kicked me many times." Andromeda said on screen.

"I see." At this point, Rhade and Beka and Rommie had all taken a detour to the mess hall where Trance and Harper were sitting.

"Beka! Just the person I wanted to see!" Harper said.

"Shit." Beka said and tried to turn around but Harper had bounded up and grabbed her arm.

"About this Talia chica…"

"Harper…"Beka said dangerously.

"I was wondering, why didn't you tell us?"

Beka closed her eyes. "One, I was ashamed. Two, I was thinking you would want me to find her and three, you really don't need to know."

"I'm just saying, it would be a lot easier to sabotage a place that has never had the Harper hack into it and screw with their systems." Harper said grinning.

Beka grinned right back and pulled Harper into a bear hug.

"Beka?! What the hell?!"

Beka, as if realizing for the first time that she was hugging Harper jumped away like he was in fire.

"Sorry."

"I liked it, do it again…"

"Harper…." Rhade growled.

Harper looked at Rhade and said, "Sheesh Rhade, no need to get your pants in a twist (A/N Sorry, couldn't help it. Anyone else notice in season 5 Harper is obsessed with Rhade's pants?!? I am too but that is a whole other story ;) did I say that?).

"Beka…" Trance began.

"Let me guess you knew all along?"

Trance smirked. "No, I just wanted to say that I think that you couldn't have gotten your good looks from your mother."

Beka smiled "Yea, good looks skip a few generations. I'm just lucky to get 'em."

Rhade pulled Beka into a hug and kissed her .

"Yes you did." He said while Harper and Trance just stood there stunned.


	8. Malfunction

Chapter 8

"Be-be-be-be-Beka! Wha-wha-wha-what the hell??!" Harper asked shocked.

Trance's eyes were the size of saucers. _How could I not see this coming?!_

Beka blushed. "Un, yeah. Rhade and I are…you know…"

"Love makas."

"Harper!"

"Sex God and Goddess?"

"Harper." Trance said.

"Spooning in the cupboard."

"Harper!" Trance yelled angrily. Beka, Rhade and Harper looked at he in shock. Trance seemed oddly disheveled and confused.

"Trance?" Beka asked. Trance's head jerked to look at her.

"Im fine im fine. I have to go. I'm fine." And Trance literally ran out of the room.

"What was that all about?" Harper asked.

"I don't know." Beka said worried.

"I'll go check on her." Harper said leaving.

"Do we have to tell Dylan now?" Beka asked. Rhade sighed.

"Yes, or else he will hear t from Harper or Trance and we don't want that."

So they started walking hand in hand to Dylan's quarters, not knowing the senator was already there.

"Captain Hunt, have your officers no shame?! They are rude, unmilitary and disorderly!"

"Yes, they are. But they are the best. And they are the best damn chance you have to make it to Tarazed alive."

Talia was fuming. "I'll be back!"

"I'll be here."

Talia swept out of the room only to run into Beka and Rhade. Everyone froze. Time seemed to stop.

After what seemed like an eternity, Holo-Andromeda popped up.

"I believe there may be a malfunction in my sprinkler systems." As she said this, water can pouring our from the ceiling, soaking Talia's expensive, and no doubt 'dry clean only' dress.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" Talia's high pitched scream rang down the halls as she ran towards the nearest room. "Open up! Open up!"

"The crewmember that occupies those quarters is on leave. I cannot open the doors" Talia did not miss the mocking smirk.

"You wretched AI! You know very well you could open these doors in a heartbeat!"

Andromeda just cocked her head to the side, smiled, and vanished. As soon as Talia had gone back to her quarters, the hallway sprinklers turned off.

Beka was laughing hard into her hand, Rhade was smiling and Dylan was trying very hard not to laugh.

"You know this could become a major diplomatic incident." Dylan said.

"Yup." Beka said plopping down in a chair next to Rhade.

"Dylan, we have to tell you something." Rhade said. Dylan immediately grew serious.

"What is it?"

"Well, um…."Beka started. "How to put this…."

Harper came running in just then. "Dylan! I cant find Trance anywhere!"

"Andromeda, locate Trance."

"Unable."

"What, why not?"

"I cannot find her."

"What's happening you lovebirds?" Harper said winking. Beka stood still as Dylan turned to look at them.

"Lovebirds?" He asked.

"Er…" Beka said.

"Dylan," Andromeda interrupted. "I believe I found Trance. She is in a service conduit on deck 25. She has sealed it off and has privacy mode engaged."

"Harper!" Dylan said as he ran out of his quarters with Harper on his heels.

"Well, that went well." Beka muttered and made her way to the Maru with Rhade.


	9. Trance

Chapter 9

"I didn't know you could put a service conduit in privacy mode." Beka muttered to herself. "We probably should go help them get Trance out."

Rhade leaned over and kissed her. "I think we would upset her. Did you see how she looked at us?" Rhade said as he and Beka walked into the Maru.

Beka smiled as Rhade kissed her neck. "I guess you're right." She said, leading the way to her room.

"Trance! C'mon Trance let us in! Trance!" Dylan yelled.

"She can't hear you." Andromeda said.

"Oh, I think she can."

"Trance come on talk to me!" Harper said. Harper grabbed a comm. device from his hip and said into it "Trance, talk to me!"

"NO!" She said into the device.

"Trance whats wrong?" Dylan asked.

"It's nothing I just…I just want to be alone and I figured this was the last place you would look."

"Trance, you know better then anyone that bottling everything up does nothing to help anyone!"

"Yes but it doesn't help to talk either!"

"What? That is an oxymoron Trance. It helps to talk about it but it doesn't?"

"Look, trust me ok?"

"Trance," Dylan started, "Why won't you talk to me?"

"Because, it wont help, I just….it's nothing I just need to be alone."

"Trance…"

"Dylan, privacy mode has been lifted and Trance has exited the other side."

"Open the door! TRANCE!"

Dylan and Harper caught up with Trance halfway to hydroponics.

"Care to tell me what that was about?"

"I just wanted to be alone is that too much to ask?" Trance snapped.

Dylan and Harper just stared at her dumbstruck. "You leave Harper and Beka alone when they need it, why not me?"

"I try to get Harper and Beka to talk but they are too stubborn and would rather wallow in self pity."

"HEY!"

"No offence."

"Dylan, I just need some time to think."

Dylan sighed. "Ok, ok."

"Thank you."

Alone in hydroponics, Trance was muttering under her breath. "Why didn't I see that possibility? It was such an obvious one , and I didn't see it! Why?" Trance wracked her memory for possibilities she might have missed. _THERE! There it is ! it was such a remote chance i didn't even notice it but it is there! _Trance looked at all the possibilities that spread from Beka and Rhade and she couldn't help but smile.


	10. Doors

Chapter 10

Beka bounced along the hall to the Command deck ready for a few hours of slippiloting and in a considerably better mood. A few minutes later, Rhade walked down the same hall with a smug grin on his face.

"Captain, I must insist that we get underway!" Talia said huffily.

"Beka is almost here." Dylan said tiredly. This woman was starting to get on his nerves. She seemed hell bent on making this journey long and miserable.

Beka walked in and right past Talia.

"Aren't you going to say hello?"

"No." Beka said, looking straight ahead.

"You know that that isn't very polite."

"Oh," Beka said turning around and walking over , "And I supposed leaving a seven year old with her big brother and dad, all alone, is polite!"

Talia cocked her head to the side. "You don't understand."

"Oh, I understand just fine! You wanted fame! Fame and riches and the life of luxery!"

"Don't you?"

"Yes! But I would want a family to go with it!"

"To get in the way."

"Oh, now we would get in the way?

"Yes. You would be a burden and always in the way of getting anything done." Talia said smugly.

"I suppose the people of Odekyrke would be thoroughly shocked to hear how their senator values family!" Beka said back,.

Talia's smug smile faltered. "They wouldn't believe you."

"DNA test."

"They wouldn't care, I take care of them"

"No, you take care of yourself! You say you want to help them and their familys look what you did to yours."

"That is totally different."

"How?"

"DIVINE! You are smart Rebecca figure it out."

Beka stepped forward menacingly. "Call me that one time."

Talia just made an ugly face. The crew, who had been watching this suddenly snapped back to work.

"You know, this is really getting old. You two don't have to like each other. You don't even have to talk to each other. In fact, it would probably be better it you don't." Dylan said.

Talia gained what composure she had left and walked out only to find the doors wouldn't open. Talia stood confused.

"OPEN!"

Nothing

"OPEN NOW."

Nothing.

"I COMMAND YOU TO OPEN!"

"Door privileges have been restricted," Andromeda said. Talia marched over to hologram and jumped when the door a few yards behind her opened and an ensign walked through. Talia walked over and the doors promptly closed again.

"OPEN! CAPTAIN!"

Dylan shrugged, " I forgot I ordered that this morning."

Talia smiled. "The please open them."

"Certainly. Andromeda?"

The doors opened. "Thank you."

"Beka…"

"Dylan I know, I need to stop arguing with her."

"No, you and her need to not speak to each other period."

Beka smiled " I'll try."

"Captain, Talia is screaming at the top of her lungs trying to get her doors to open. It seem she has been locked out and she cant get out to 'slap the chef silly' for preparing her a meal that is not low carb." Andromeda said amused.

Dylan shook his head as Beka smiled.

"Well at least we know everyone doesn't hate Beka." Dylan said.


	11. Marheagans

11

Talia stormed back into command and said nothing. Just "Captain, hurry up I am on a schedule"

"We are going as fast as we can. We are still 4 jumps away from Tarazed."

"I just want to get off this ship." Talia said.

"That'd be great, would you like me to chuck you out the airlock?" Beka muttered.

"What was that?" Talia asked sharply.

"Nothing you'd like." Beka muttered.

"speak so I can hear you!"

"I said, I'll use you as a hockey puck and shoot you to a screaming crock."

"What?" Talia asked.

"Nevermind"

"Beka, concentrate." Dylan muttered, not wanting a fight to break out in the middle of the slipstream.

"I am Dylan but it is a bit hard when I have her breathing down my neck and talking all the time. Could you shut her up please?"

"Maybe it would be best if you went back to your quarters." Dylan suggested.

"No, I will stay here thank you." Talia said simply.

Dylan threw his hands in the air hopelessly.

"Dylan! We have a problem. We exited slipstream right into an asteroid field." Rhade said

"What? Beka…"

"Hey, I cant be perfect all the time."

"And, there are 4 unidentified ships, the same hull configuration as the ones that were trying to intercept us on the way to Odekyrke."

"Marheagans." Talia said.

"Bless you." Harper said.

"No, Marheagans are a race that are blood enemies of the Odekyrke people. They have had many disagreements that some with planets so close to each other. We have different philosophies on life. And, they have excellent technology." Talia said.

"Marheagans, never heard of them." Dylan muttered.

"They strive to keep out of contact with other worlds. Their planet is very small, technically it is a moon, orbiting the abandoned planet Miron." Talia said.

"And how did you find them?" Dylan asked.

Talia looked at him thoughtfully. "You don't need to know that."

"Sorry to interrupt but the Marph-e-gans and shooting!" Harper shouted. Just as the ship rocked.

"Beka evasive maneuvers!" Dylan shouted.

"I'm going!" Beka yelled.

Three of the ships tried to chase the Andromeda through the asteroids while the other went to slipstream.

"Beka, two've hit asteroids, just one more." Rhade called.

_Ok Beka you can do this, this is easy, they're wusses anyways._

WHAM , the last ship crashed into an asteroid Beka had just looped around.

Suddenly, propulsion slowed. Beka looked around. "What'd I do?" She asked.

"Before that last ship was destroyed, it managed to get another volley of missiles on us. They knocked out our slipstream drive." Rommie said.

"Harper, "

"I'm going" Harper said annoyed.

Beka and Dylan looked in the command conduits for anything wrong.

"Nothing." Dylan said.

"Same." Beka said.

"Boss?" Harper's voice came over the comm..

"Yes Mr. Harper?" Dylan asked.

"Well, it'll take me at least 6 hours." Harper said.

Dylan sighed. "I was afraid of that. Talia, how long does it take to get to the Marheagan's planet?"

"From Tarazed, about two days. From here, 10 hours tops."

"So we should be fixed and gone by the time they get to their panet to tell them where we are."

"What if their fleet wasn't at their planet? They could be systematically searching the area around Tarazed and Odekyrke." Rhade said.

"True. Either way, Mr. Harper, hurry up!" Dylan said.


	12. senator!

12

Talia retreated to her room and after 3 door malfunctions, 2 holographic projector manipulations and a few crew running into her she was alone. Except for…

"Andromeda! Privacy Mode NOW!"

"Authorization?"

"Talia Casele, Commonwealth senator!"

"Acknowledged."

Talia pulled her comm. device out of her robes and held it up to her mouth. "Mai?"

Silence. Then, a crackling noise. "Casele?"

"Yes. Everything is ready."

A/N short I know. I have no inspiration right now


	13. Forgotten Element

Chapter 13

Talia rounded to corner on the way to Command smirking slightly. Her feet were clanging noisily as she walked. Her bodyguard, Henry, and personally assistant, Amarintha, rounded another corner and met Talia at a crossroads between the four halls. Talia looked at the questioningly. They merely nodded and followed Talia to Command.

Dylan stood and nodded to Talia as she entered. Before she and Beka could start another shouting match, alarms went off.

"It's the Marhegans." Rommie said.

"What?" Dylan said over the sound of the alarms. He turned to Talia "I thought you said it would be days before they came back?"

Talia, cool and calm as always walked up to the screen with Henry and Amarintha.

"I lied." In an instant, Talia had a gun in each hand, one trained on Dylan and one at Beka. Henry pointed one at Trance and one on Rhade. Amarintha had both trained on Rommie, who smirked.

"Those wont work on me." She said smugly.

Talia smiled brightly. "Even if they didn't, you wouldn't want to try anything or we would shoot your captain. Besides, these are Marhegan technology. Not only do they kill on contact but they can fry your electronic systems, so don't try anything."

"I don't believe you." Rommie said.

"Really." Amarintha said and aimed one of the guns at a Maria bot. a sickening crunch echoed through command as the shot sent the bot back into the rail. But instead of hitting the rail, the force blasted the Maria bot so hard the rail cut it in half. Everyone's eyebrows went up, or jaws dropped.

"Now, to your Captain's quarters." Talia said motioning with the gun.

"Andromeda wont open the doors for you." Dylan said.

"She doesn't have to, the bitchy AI is currently trapped in her matrix. She has no control over the ship until I say so." Talia said tapping a box attached to her hip. "Marhegan technology."

Beka, Rhade, Trance, Dylan and Rommie sat at the table trying to figure out a plan.

"I think it is obvious Talia and the Marhegans have met before." Dylan said.

"No shit Sherlock." Beka snapped.

"Excuse me?" Dylan asked, shocked.

"She was lying. The Marhegans are rag-tag assassins. They've been acquaintances with Odekyrke for years." Beka said.

"Why didn't you tell me any of this?" Dylan asked.

"I tried! You wouldn't listen to me. I tried to explain this morning but you told me to stop giving her a bad time." Beka snapped.

"Fine." Dylan said. "Now the question is what are they hired to do?"

"Assassinate one or all of the Triumvirs?" Rommie suggested.

"Maybe, but somehow I doubt it. What does Talia have to gain if the Triumvirs are dead?" Dylan mused.

No one spoke for a minute, then Trance spoke up. "Perhaps…Talia is trying to up her status in the Commonwealth."

"How could killing the triumvirs make her status increase?" Rhade asked.

"She doesn't have to kill them. That isn't her aim." Trance said.

"Care to elaborate on that?" Beka asked.

"I…I'm not sure what her true motive is." Trance said looking away, obviously trying to conceal her true thoughts.

"Well it's fairly obvious if we need to get anything done, we need to get out of here." Beka said slamming her fist into the door.

"I believe we have overlooked a very important element here." Rhade said suddenly.

"What?" Dylan asked. "We've done all I can think of."

"Not quite, we have forgotten one of the key players in this. Harper." Rhade said.


End file.
